Dr Philippa Jackson

Associate Professor

School: Psychology

Philippa is an Associate Professor of Biological Psychology and the Director of the Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre. She sits on the Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee in the Department of Psychology as Impact Lead. Philippa teaches on the MSc Psychology programme and provides research supervision to Undergraduate, Masters and PhD students.

Philippa’s research aims to better understand the relationship between what we consume (e.g. micro/meso/macro-nutrients, whole foods, nutraceutical supplements) and brain function and behaviour (e.g. cognition, well-being, stress, sleep). She has a particular interest in the effects of bioactive lipids such as omega-3 fatty acids on cognition and brain health throughout the lifespan. Here her research investigates the differential effects of individual omega-3 fatty acids, and individual response to omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Philippa works closely with industry and has expertise in running large randomised controlled trials.

Campus Address

NB402a

Email Philippa

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Philippa’s research aims to understand the relationship between what we consume (e.g. micro/meso/macro-nutrients, whole foods, nutraceutical supplements) and brain function and behaviour (e.g. cognition, well-being, stress, sleep). She has a particularly interest in the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cognition and brain health throughout the lifespan.

Her current research interests are:

The effects of omega 3 fatty acids on cognition, sleep, stress and well-being

Investigating the differential effects of individual omega-3 fatty acids, and individual response to omega-3 fatty acid supplementation

The relationship between essential nutrients and sleep

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Comparable improvements in selective, but not sustained, attention in response to a multi-ingredient nootropic formulation when compared with caffeine, Hearris, M., Langan-Evans, C., Foo, W., Garrigan, C., Starke, L., Rendeiro, C., Williams, C., Jackson, P., Morton, J. 2 Mar 2026, In: European Journal of Nutrition
The cognitive effects of supplementation with sunflower phosphatidyl serine in healthy children aged 8 to 12 years: a randomized controlled trial, Friling, M., Jackson, P., Kennedy, D., Dodd, F., Smith, E., Lavie, A., Lopresti, A., Ivanir, E., Jalanka, J. 5 Jan 2026, In: Nutrition Journal
Daily supplementation with lemon verbena extract decreases subjective energy and parental reports of hyperactivity in children displaying sub-clinical attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-type behaviours: A randomised controlled trial, Jackson, P., Smith, E., Forster, J., Greener, J., Small, A., Kennedy, D., Suarez, C., Blainski, A., Pischel, I. 1 Aug 2025, In: Journal of Psychopharmacology
Omega-3 fatty acids and sleep: recent advances in understanding effects and mechanisms, Jackson, P. 1 Mar 2025, In: Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
Acute effects of mango leaf extract on cognitive function in healthy adults: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, Dodd, F., Kennedy, D., Johnson, J., Haworth, E., Greener, J., Jackson, P. 11 Apr 2024, In: Frontiers in Nutrition
Acute Cognitive Performance and Mood Effects of Coffeeberry Extract: A Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study in Healthy Humans, Jackson, P., Kenney, C., Forster, J., Smith, E., Elcoate, R., Spittlehouse, B., Johnson, J., Kennedy, D. 23 May 2023, In: Nutrients
Acute cognitive performance and mood effects of coffee berry and apple extracts: A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover study in healthy humans, Jackson, P., Haskell-Ramsay, C., Forster, J., Khan, J., Veasey, R., Kennedy, D., Wilson, A., Saunders, C., Wightman, E. 2 Nov 2022, In: Nutritional Neuroscience
Mixed Tree Nuts, Cognition and Gut Microbiota: a 4-week, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Crossover Trial in Healthy Non-Elderly Adults, Haskell-Ramsay, C., Dodd, F., Smith, D., Cuthbertson, L., Nelson, A., Lodge, J., Jackson, P. 1 Dec 2022, In: The Journal of Nutrition
The chronic effects of a combination of herbal extracts (Euphytose®) on psychological mood state and response to a laboratory stressor: A randomised, placebo-controlled, double blind study in healthy humans., Dodd, F., Kennedy, D., Wightman, E., Khan, J., Patan, M., Elcoate, R., Jackson, P. Nov 2022, In: Journal of Psychopharmacology
Differential Effects of DHA- and EPA-Rich Oils on Sleep in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Patan, M., Kennedy, D., Husberg, C., Hustvedt, S., Calder, P., Middleton, B., Khan, J., Forster, J., Jackson, P. 16 Jan 2021, In: Nutrients

PGR Supervision

Jessica Chalmers Investigating the Effects of Dairy Phospholipids on Measures of Human Brain Health and Psychobiological Wellbeing in Healthy Adults Start Date: 01/03/2023
Ben Hughes Investigation on the acute and chronic effects of Nepalese Pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum DC) on cognitive function, mood and gaming performance in young, healthy, competitive gamers Start Date: 01/06/2024

Qualifications